stop dog bite bugs

In this article on how to stop dog bites, we will focus on the dog’s “fear of biting” behavior. Because our dogs are usually confined in some way (a fenced-in backyard, on a leash, inside the house), it is this author’s opinion that most dog bites occur when the natural instinct to “fight or flight” of the dog springs into action and without the option to “flight” that our dog has, due to his confinement, his reaction to a real or perceived threat is to bite or “bite out of fear”.

Most cases of fear bites occur when a well-meaning but ill-advised human attempts to comfort or console an already anxious and frightened dog. A dog cannot communicate his fear except through body language. He can’t tell the human, “I’m scared, just give me space.” The well-meaning human pushes the eager dog over the edge and the bite occurs.

It’s pretty simple to see that a dog is scared or anxious, once you know what to look for. The fear of biting does not just happen. It occurs when someone has not seen the warning signs. Some of the warning signs of a possible dog that bites out of fear are the following: Submissive dogs that do not react to a new situation or strange people in the usual way that a confident and well-adjusted dog would. Instead, they act nerveless or nervous.

The body language of a fearful dog.

* Tucked tail

* Hunched over lower back

* Ears close to the head

* Elbows bent (slightly squat)

* Excessive panting or yawning to reduce tension

* In extreme cases, a dog may urinate or defecate due to fear.

What causes a dog to become a fear biter?

At around eight weeks of age and again at around 14 weeks of age, a dog will launch what is called a fear impression stage where he is much more likely to be frightened or surprised by new experiences and situations. If the dog has a fright during this crucial period and is not properly taught to deal with this fright, he could develop a phobia of the object, place or situation.

For example: if you have been startled by a stranger coming to your door unexpectedly and you have not been given a chance to acclimate to this stranger, you might develop a phobia of people who look like that person (people wearing hats, briefcase or toolbox)

Some dogs or breeds of dogs are naturally nervous and anxious due to their upbringing. Some breeds have been shown to be more prone to developing phobias or shyness than other breeds. These breeds tend to be intelligent and generally need regular interaction with humans. Some of these anxious breeds could include Great Danes and Border Collies.

Handling a dog that bites out of fear.

Let’s first clarify, although a fearful dog’s behavior can be significantly altered through patient, persistent, and careful training, despite your best efforts, a dog may never fully overcome their phobias or fears. You can’t force a dog to overcome her fears. These types of dogs require a gentle and patient hand, they will get nowhere with rough and angry treatment from a dog that is already anxious. The powerful instinct and sheer panic of a dog biting out of fear will only get worse if you invoke more stress and anxiety with a heavy hand.

Build confidence to stop biting dogs.

Obedience training is a wonderful way to build confidence and reduce overall stress in an anxious dog. With obedience training, your dog learns to understand the relationship between behavior and praise, reward and achievement. He starts small with a relatively easy and basic command for no more than 5-10 minutes a day. Slowly work your way into a situation that might have previously scared your dog.

If your dog has a phobia of an object such as a broom or vacuum cleaner, slowly incorporate the object into his daily life. For example: if the phobia is to the vacuum cleaner, take it out of the closet and park it where your dog is forced to see it daily, walk, etc. Play near him, feed your dog with him every day closer. Every step your dog takes, praise him generously. Your dog may never really feel comfortable while he vacuums the house, but instead of attacking you or trying to jump out the window, maybe he can learn to deal with the short amount of time he uses it.